Sophie's attempts to sleep had been futile, it was like the adrenaline just wouldn't get out of her system. After having stared at the ceiling for the better part of an hour with a racing heart, she had gotten up and fixed herself a cup of camomile tea and sat down on the couch cross-legged. Eventually, her nerves calmed down to some extent. She got her blanket out of her bedroom, turned the TV on and made sure to turn the volume down to a low background noise as she got into a foetal position and tried not to think about anything but breathing slowly.
When she woke up the next morning, she realized to her surprise that she had somehow managed to get more than eight hours of blissful, dreamless sleep. She also noticed that her muscles in her legs were aching from running all the way home and that she was not smelling too good either. It was too late for her to check up on the café before the early shift arrived, so she decided she could as well take a hot shower and simply hope for the best.
After breakfast she felt like a human being again and her optimism was experiencing some kind of revival. She decided to leave her apartment, have a quick look at her workplace (just to make sure), interview some people for her blog, and maybe write a page or two for her novel. Everything is going to be fine.
Besides the sore muscles in her legs, she almost skipped down the streets as she moved closer to her workplace. The sun was shining and the air so refreshingly cold that she could almost ignore the pollution. That was, until she breathed in an unusual smell. It smelled like a bonfire, but not the kind above which you could roast marshmallows, instead, it smelled… unhealthy.
Sophie covered her mouth with her scarf and finally stepped into the street of her café, only to freeze in shock. The place was burned down to the ground. Several police cars were parked around the scene and she could see people in uniforms guard the void that once was her work place. People were looking for something inside of the rubble and ashes. She could make out two of her co-workers and her boss from afar, talking to the police.
Instinctively, Sophie turned around and walked away from the crime scene. Almost in slow motion she made her way back home, her energy had left her, and she was feeling limp. On the other hand, anxiety had taken over her heart. She thought about the bald man and wondered what had happened last night. Did he burn the source of her income to the ground? Were the four men in the building? Or did something else happen? She – and apparently the GCPD, too – was sure that it had been no accident.
Just because they were so intimidated by the bald man doesn't mean that he is invincible. Maybe it's his body they will pull out of the ashes. She didn't know why she cared so much. Normally, the only thing she should be concerned about was paying her bills. A nice person would also be concerned about their boss's and colleagues' future. But she was just so curious and intrigued.
A part of her hoped that the bald man was okay. Against all odds, she somehow felt kind of… grateful to him for telling her to leave before whatever happened took place. I must be the only person on this planet who thinks that someone who probably burned down their workplace is noble.
At home, she did not have to wait long before the police called her, informed her about the fire and asked her to come down to the precinct. Once she had put down the phone, she tried to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat. She hadn't considered that they would need the statement of the last employee that had been working in the café.
The thought of telling them about any of her latest customers did not seem like a good idea. Angering people like them could be lethal. Lying to the authorities did not seem like a good idea either, what if they asked her if she had locked the door and then found something contradicting what she had said in the ashes? She did not want to become a suspect.
On second thought, staying alive was definitely her top priority. She would try her best to wriggle herself out of this without telling the truth, maybe she could even pry some information from the police.